A Negrense was sentenced to a minimum of eight and a maximum of 15 years imprisonment for the crime of homicide, in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental.

Regional Trial Court Judge Henry Arles found Agustin Natalon of Brgy. Talubangi, Kabankalan guilty beyond reasonable doubt of killing Ronie Paglumotan in July 2, 2001, and ordered him to pay the victim's heirs P150,000 for his death, moral damages and actual damages. Arles, however, said that since the qualifying circumstances of evident premeditation and treachery have not been proven, Natalon, who was also ordered to be remitted to the National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa, should be held liable only for homicide, instead of murder.

The judge also placed the case in the archives to be revived upon the apprehension of an accused named, alias Vito, who also allegedly stabbed Paglumotan.

Arles said Natalon, who, along with Alias Vito were positively identified by prosecution eyewitness Freddie Alonsagay as the perpetrators of the crime, evaded arrest and was nabbed only on October 30, 2003, more than two years after the killing of Paglumotan.

The common reaction of a person or his family when confronted with knowledge of involvement in the killing would be to immediately clear his name but Natalon did not make any move to exonerate himself from any tinge of suspicion, the judge said.

The flight of an accused discloses a guilty conscience, Arles said. *CPT

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